Jill L. Mandell

Jill L. Mandell focuses her practice on appellate work, contract law, land use and zoning litigation, corporate dissolution, and city contracting and procurement.

Jill left high school after the 11th grade to earn her undergraduate degree from Simon's Rock of Bard College and then earned a master's degree from Columbia University Teachers College. She earned her law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she was a staff member of the Arts and Entertainment Law Journal and was competitively selected to participate in the Criminal Appeals Clinic.

Her pro bono work has included contract negotiation and dispute resolution on behalf of artists and appellate representation on behalf of Lawyers for Children.

Experience

Represented life settlement brokerage firm against a breach of contract claim brought by purchaser/investor seeking return of a deposit. Pursued an aggressive counter-claim for specific performance requiring purchaser to complete the $3,000,000 transaction. After defeating purchaser's motion to amend the complaint to add multiple fraud-based claims against the firm and its principal, and winning the appellate court's affirmance, the purchaser voluntarily discontinued suit.

Represented shareholder of closely held corporation in dissolution proceeding requiring determination of the fair value of the corporation’s real property. Demonstrated that petitioner’s valuation wrongly appraised the property at over four times its actual value by incorrectly assuming that the property had been grandfathered for residential use. The matter settled after opening statements based on valuation position.

Represented a major international entertainment company in a dispute over finders’ fees arising out of the production of an annual multi-day awards ceremony. Won a motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds.

Represented a foreign government seeking to purchase property for its embassy and mission on the Upper East Side against a breach of contract claim brought by the broker. Won a summary dismissal of the broker's claim seeking a multimillion dollar commission.

Represented a construction manager in multi-party litigation in a dispute concerning damages to a luxury condominium unit. Defeated architect’s motion to dismiss professional negligence and third-party beneficiary of contract claims and resolved the matter in mediation.

Represented a developer in a dispute with the Department of Finance regarding denial of property tax abatements/exemptions and persuaded DOF to reinstate the developer's application.

Represented mortgagee in case alleging NY Debtor and Creditor Law violations. Won appellate reversal of trial court’s order cancelling and voiding mortgage as a purported fraudulent conveyance.

Successfully defeated community group challenges to zoning determinations and persuaded an appellate court to uphold a contentious zoning determination permitting a general large scale development in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Advised developers on issues involving the impact of easements and covenants and on issues arising out of the presence of party walls. Advised non-profit developers regarding criteria for establishing tax exempt status based on religious, educational and charitable exemptions, and compliance with the Fair Housing Act and Local Law 58.

Publications

One of the pro-defense takeaways from the Supreme Court’s 2011 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes decision was that the presence of a company-wide policy delegating employment decisions to the discretion of local managers meant the absence of a common issue justifying class treatment under Rule...

A recent Seventh Circuit decision, in addressing the extent to which a state court’s proposal to conduct a joint trial of related actions may create a removable “mass action” under the Class Action Fairness Act, has succeeded mainly in creating a blurry distinction between a...

General Mills is facing four class action suits filed against it in the district courts of California, Florida, New Jersey and Ohio. On June 8, 2010, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation denied General Mills’ motion to centralize the litigation. In re General Mills, Inc. Yoplus...